Wilkes Football Week 11 Preview vs. Western Connecticut State

Saturday, November 15

12:00 p.m.

Wilkes-Barre, PA
 

Live Stats

Live Video

Purchase Tickets

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - The Wilkes University football team returns to Schmidt Stadium for the regular season finale against their last Landmark Conference opponent this season, the Western Connecticut State Wolves, this Saturday at noon.

The Colonels enter this contest with a record of 5-4 and a 3-2 conference record after falling to the then No. 24 Susquehanna University River Hawks 26-3 last week. The team also boasts a record of 3-1 at home with their only loss coming against Muhlenberg on Sept. 20. A win this week could clinch an appearance in the Chesapeake Challenge Bowl Series for the third year in a row.

Quarterback Cooper King (Northampton, PA/Northampton) enters this game with season totals of 1,498 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and eight interceptions, but is looking for a bounce-back performance after going 14-30 for 136 passing yards and an interception against Susquehanna.

King is also Wilkes' leading rusher this season with 361 yards and five touchdowns. Behind him is running back Ben Contella (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) with 348 yards and four touchdowns on 99 carries, and rounding out the top three is Chibugo Chigozie-Nwosu (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) with 203 yards and one touchdown on 62 carries.

Daniel Pigga (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) was the leading receiver last week against the River Hawks with two catches for 58 yards thanks to a 46-yard catch-and-run in the second quarter, but Justin Moore (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) remains the team's leader in receptions (27)  and receiving yards (386) this year. Juju Fears (Easton, PA/Easton Area) isn't far behind with 26 receptions for 335 yards and a team-leading three touchdowns. Lastly, there's Janas Simms (York, PA/William Penn) with 18 receptions for 183 yards and a touchdown. Those three have been the heart of the receiving core all season and will need to have a big week to keep the season alive for another game.

On defense, the Colonels held the River Hawks to their second-lowest offensive output of the season in terms of points (26) and yards (334), well below their season averages of 43.6 points per game and 488.2 yards per game. They'll need a similar performance against a Western Connecticut team that ranks second in the Landmark in scoring offense (31.2 points per game) and total offense (362.1 yards per game). 

Wilkes currently ranks second in the Landmark in total defense, rushing defense, sacks, and third in passing defense, and a large reason for their success as a unit is due to the trio of Tallen Murray (Vineland, NJ/Saint Joseph Academy), Tyler Wetzel (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge), and Cohen Creswell (Winchester, VA/Millbrook). Murray ranks second in the conference in tackles with 87, along with 9.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two pass breakups, and two quarterback hurries. Wetzel ranks third in the conference with 85 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries, and a forced fumble. On the defensive line, Creswell leads the Landmark in tackles for loss (17.5) and sacks (7), and leads the Colonels in quarterback hurries (4) and forced fumbles (3). His 67 tackles also ranks him sixth in the Landmark.

Outside of the front seven, the secondary has been excellent all season long. Junior Rob Barbieri (Avoca, PA/Pittston Area) leads the unit with 53 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, an interception, and four pass breakups. Alongside Barbieri, Michael Kevin Cornick III (West Philadelphia, PA/William Penn) has ramped up his production over the second half of the season to bring his season totals to 41 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and three breakups. Rounding out the secondary is J'Vier Johnson (Easton, PA/Easton Area) and Ryan Opperman (Lewisburg, PA/Lewisburg). Johnson leads the Landmark with three interceptions this season, and he's totaled 32 tackles, two tackles for loss, and four pass breakups to go along with it. Opperman also has 32 tackles and leads the team with five pass breakups.

On special teams, kicker Nick Volpone (Delco, PA/Ridley) saw his perfect season come to an end with a missed 27-yard field goal last week, but he did hit a new personal best 42-yard field goal in that game. He's still perfect on extra points (17/17) and his now 10/11 on field goals. Punter Peter Zarafonitis (Staten Island, NY/New Dorp) still ranks second in the Landmark in average yards per punt (40.5 yards), and the return game powered by Pigga and Terry Rahmel remains effective with the two combining for an average of 22.59 yards per return.

Western Connecticut enters this game with a 5-4 record and a 2-3 Landmark record after defeating Catholic 52-19 last week at home.

The Wolves' offense is led by quarterback Dylan Jackson. The junior has thrown for 2,189 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 touchdowns, leading the conference with 243.2 passing yards per game. 

Western Connecticut's two primary running backs are Kamryn Holmes and Quasim Benson. Holmes has totaled 383 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 97 carries this year, and Benson has totaled 294 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 62 carries.

The Wolves have four players with over 250 receiving yards this season. Markus Faucett leads the group with 36 receptions for 678 yards and six touchdowns, but on the other side is their deep threat Tamarion LaFortune. The first-year receiver has 408 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 18 receptions, and his 22.67 yards per catch ranks first in the Landmark. Their other two primary receivers are Thomas Schiavoni and Serge Lagardere with 292 and 274 receiving yards, respectively.

On defense, Western Connecticut's front seven is their strength as they lead the conference with 28 sacks. Linebacker Eamon Moran leads the defense with 67 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. Other high-level contributions come from defensive ends Kile Jackson and Nick Simmons, and linebackers Kevin Martinson and Luis Jaquez. These four combine for 16.5 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss. The Wolves also rank second in the Landmark in interceptions (9) as seven different players have picked off the opposing quarterback this year.

On special teams, kicker Marciel Do Amaral has put together a strong season going 10/11 on field goals and 31/34 on extra points. Their punter John Fitzmaurice averages 36.35 yards per punt, which is second-to-last in the conference, and their two primary returns are LaFortune and Lagardere. The wide receiver duo combine for an average of 19.2 yards per return.